An innovative approach has been adopted by the newly-elected body of Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) to restore the confidence of the masses as issues related to all 31 abandoned projects in Karachi are going to be settled on priority basis to pacify allottees' agitations.
Talking to media at ABAD house, newly elected Chairman Muhammad Junaid Ashraf Taloo said that association had decided to take all authorities including HBFCL, concerned government departments, commercial banks, builders, etc on board to resolve issues and inhabit all 31 abandoned projects, shortly. He said that ban imposed by the government on new gas connections for high-rise buildings was unjustified as gas consumption of industry was not more than 0.001 percent.
Moreover, he said that possession of 72 projects, comprising 15000 units had not been transferred to the allottees, due to restriction on new gas connection. To a question, he said that ABAD's proposal for new gas connection had been forwarded to the PM secretariat last month by Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC). He also termed the ban illogical, saying that high-rise buildings were not allowed to acquire new gas connections but projects having ground plus fourth floors were being entertained.
Meanwhile, Mohsin Shekhani, patron-in-chief of ABAD, said that no low cost housing projects had been started for the last 20 years but now Sindh Assembly had finally approved the summary of Low Cost Housing Development Board (LCHDB), which would be operational within a week or two. Saleem Kassim Patel, former senior vice chairman ABAD, said that although government had shown alacrity to construct 0.5 million houses, no formal approval had been granted so far.